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Transcript of Energy Policy Implications of Global Warming - SeaLevel.info
15
Mr. SHARP. Thank you very much, Dr. Firor. We are going to
take a break for probably 10 or 15 minutes as we go over to vote
and come back and then we will be happy to hear from our other
two witnesses before we have questions for the panel.
Thank you .
[ Brief recess.]
Mr. SHARP. Thank you very much for your patience with the
House schedule. Dr. Hansen, we'll be very pleased to hear from you
at this point. We were just discussing duringthe break how we can
start solving problems. We're not that good, I'm afraid .
STATEMENT OF JAMES E. HANSEN
Mr. HANSEN. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today on
the greenhouse effect, or, as I sometimes call it , the hothouse
effect.
My testimony today is based in large part on research carried
out with my colleagues at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space
Studies , which is located at Columbia University in New York City.
Before I present our results, I'd like to state that the fact that
NASA has approvedpresentation of our scientific research results,
does not imply that NASA has taken a policy position with regard
to the greenhouse effect.
Also, I would like to point out that our scientific results are
recent. Some are still in press or in preparation and we do not
expect every scientist to agree with all of our results. I will address
questions of scientific uncertainty in my remremarks.
My principal conclusions are; number one, the earth is presently
warmer than at any time in the history of instrumental measure
ments. Number two, the greenhouse effect is probably the principal
cause of the current global warmth . Number three , our computer
climate simulations suggest that the greenhouse effect is already
large enough to begin to affect the probability of extreme events
such as summer heat waves.
[Slide]
Mr. HANSEN. My first conclusion is illustrated by the first Vu
Graph which shows the global temperature over the period of in
strumental records, which is about 100 hundred years — based on
measurements at about 2,000 meteorological stations located
around the world . The present temperature is the highest in this
period of record. The rate of warming in the past 25 years is the
highest on record. During 1988, so far, is so much warmer than
1987, that barring an improbable cooling during the rest of the
year, 1988 will be the warmest year on record . The 5 warmest
years, counting 1988, all occurred in the 1980's. So there's no real
doubt or scientific dispute that the earth is getting warmer at a
rapid rate .
My second conclusion isthat the greenhouse effect is probably
the principal cause of the global warming. This conclusion requires,
first, that the observed warming be larger than natural climate
variability and, second, that the magnitude and nature of the
warmingbe consistent with the greenhouse mechanism .
These are difficult and complicated issues and yet they are
simple, because the simple fact of the matter is that the earth in
16
the past 25-30 years has warmed by an amount which is three
times larger than the magnitude of the typical natural climate
fluctuation. We can therefore state with a high degree of confi
dence, that it is a real warming trend - not a chance fluctuation.
In my opinion, we can say this with about 99 percent confidence,
but I'm aware that there are questions about exactly how you
define that confidence. It may be better if I simply state that it is a
high degree of confidence and thereby avoid discussion with some
of mycolleagues, which discussion can simply confuse the issue.
Now , the second half of the problem : are the magnitude and nature
of the observed warming consistent with the greenhouse mecha
nism ?
Again , this is a complex issue and we don't have time for details
here. The simple answer is, yes, the magnitude and trend of the
global temperature rise are similar to what is expected and com
puted for the greenhouse effect and so is the next level of detail in
the climate change — the spatial and seasonal distribution of the
warming.
All together, the evidence that the earth is warming by an
amount which is too large to be a chance fluctuation and the simi
larity of the warming to that expected from the greenhouse effect,
represent a very strong case, in my opinion , that the greenhouse
effect has been detected and is changing our climate now.
My third conclusion concerns the impact of the greenhouse effect
on the likelihood and the severity of heat wave drought situations .
We have used our global climate model for numerical simulations
of the greenhouse effect on a large computer. These climate models
are not yet sufficiently realistic to reliably simulate regional cli
mate patterns, but they can give us an indication of the magnitude
of expected greenhouse climate changes and how these compare to
natural climate fluctuations.
What we find is that the greenhouse effect, as yet, is quite a bit
smaller than the natural fluctuations of climate which occur from
year to year at a given place. So, please don't call me next season if
it's cold in Indiana, and tell me that the greenhouse theory is
wrong, because that's not an inference which you could make.
What our climate models do show, is that the greenhouse effect is
reaching a magnitude now where it can have a noticeable impact
on the probability of a warmseason .
This die here, represents the probability of having a hot summer
during the period 1950-1980. The Weather Bureau defines the one
third hottest summers during that period as hot - simply as a defi
nition as to what “ hot ” is ata given locality. So the probability of a
hot summer is represented by having two out of the six diefaces
colored red. Similarly, the probability of having a cold summer, by
their definition , is the one third coldest summers during the period
1950-1980. We represent that by the blue sides on the die face. The
typical or average conditions are represented by the white sides.
By 1995, which is 7 years in the future, we calculate that the
greenhouse effect has changed the probabilities such that four sides
of the die are red. One side is white for conditions average for 1950
1980, and one side is blue, or colder than average 1950-1980 condi
tions. So one thing you can say is, that even in the 1990's, with the
expected increased greenhouse effect, there are going to be some
17
years which are colder than normal - probably about 2 years
during the 1990's.
The main thing I want to say from this, is that it's my opinion
that at least by 1995, the manin the street is going to notice this
change in the probabilities. He is going to say, what's going on
here? This die is loaded. We're having hot summers more often
than we used to and the hottest ones are hotter than they used to
be.
Of course, one thing that concerns me is that when we get to this
point, the man in the street, who's also the voter in the booth , is
going to say, why didn't you scientists and Congressmen warn us
about this and maybe even consider doing something about it ? I'm
afraid that perhaps all that we'll be able to say is, well, we did
think aboutit one hot summer in 1988, but there were scientific
uncertainties and we couldn't figure them out exactly and the next
season wasn't so hot, so we didn't have 100 percent confidence and
we were afraid to risk our reputations, et cetera.
Now , with regard to the drought, let me say that there is strong
scientific evidence that the large greenhouse effect that is expected
several decades in the future, if green house gases continue to in
crease at recent rates, that this will cause a significant increase in
the frequency and the severity of heat wave/drought situations in
mid -latitude ,continental regions such asthe United States.
Moreover, the climate simulations that we've done with our
model at the Goddard Institute suggest that the greenhouse effect
in the late 1980's and in the 1990'sis already large enough to in
crease the likelihood of heat wave /drought situations in the south
east and the Midwest United States, even though it is inappropri
ate to blame a specific drought on the greenhouse effect.
My written testimony, the same as the testimony I gave at the
Senate a couple weeks ago , contains further discussion of that
topic. I would like to finish by making a few brief recommenda
tions, if the chairman will allow.
Mr. SHARP. I would be happy to .
Mr. HANSEN . These are the personal opinions of Jim Hansen ,
Ridgewood, NJ. I have not attempted to get official approval of
them .
Number one, I think we have to provide more support for stu
dents and post-doctoral researchers in the global climate area.
When we get to this point in the 1990's, when the man in the
street can see that theclimate is, in fact, changing, we had better
have the brain power to begin to understand the climate system ,
to understand the system and some of the implications of that
changing climate. Right now , it seems to me the best students are
going into law school, into medical school, and we need to be able
to attract some of the best students into this area .
Number two, we need to have global observations to understand
the climate. That means observationsfrom space, from the ground,
and within the oceans. The data need to be collected over a suffi
ciently long time period; so we need to get started soon.
Numberthree, my final recommendation , I think we could take
some steps now to reduce the rate of growth of the greenhouse
effect. Chlorofluorocarbons, which destroy ozone as well as cause 20
percent of the greenhouse effect, could be phased out entirely over
18
an appropriate period of time. The manufactures agree that there
are orwill be substitutes for the chlorofluorocarbons.
Also, we should increase our energy efficiency, because CO2
causes 55-60 percent of the greenhouseeffect. There's a lot of room
for improved efficiency. It would have other benefits, independent
of thegreenhouse effect, especially on our balance of payments def
icit. How to get at that problem is, of course , a major difficulty and
that's something you can address better than I can. I know that
there are majorways that we could improve our energy efficiency.
Finally, I think we should discourage deforestation and encour
age reforestation, because that would not only reduce atmosphere
CO2, but also preserve the habitat for innumerable, valuable biolog
ical species. The impact of these kinds of steps on the short run is
going to be relatively small, but it's very important, because it
would change the direction in which the greenhouse effect is
headed . Instead of the sharp, upward ramp that we're on now , it
could put us on a more manageable course on the longer term , over
the next several decades. Thank you.
[Testimony resumes on p. 53.]
[ The prepared statement of Mr. Hansen follows:]
19
STATEMENT OF
James E. Hansen
NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies
2880 Broadway , New York , N.Y. 10025
PREFACE
This statement is based largely on recent studies carried out with my
colleagues S. Lebedeff , D. Rind , I. Fung , A. Lacis , R. Ruedy , G. Russell and
P. Stone at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies .
My principal conclusions are : ( 1 ) the earth is warmer in 1988 than at any
time in the history of instrumental measurements , ( 2 ) the global warming is now
sufficiently large that we can ascribe with a high degree of confidence a cause
and effect relationship to the greenhouse effect , and ( 3 ) in our computer climate
simulations, the greenhouse effect now is already large enough to begin to affect
the probability of occurrence of extreme events such as summer heat waves ; the
model results imply that heat wave / drought occurrences in the Southeast and
Midwest United States may be more frequent in the next decade than in
climatological ( 1950-1980 ) statistics .
1. Current global temperatures
Present global temperatures are the highest in the period of instrumental
records , as shown in Fig . 1. The rate of global warming in the past two decades
is higher than at any earlier time in the record . The four warmest years in the
past century all have occurred in the 1980's .
The global temperature in 1988 up to June 1 is substantially warmer than the
like period in any previous year in the record . This is illustrated in Fig . 2 ,
which shows seasonal temperature anomalies for the past few decades . The most
recent two seasons ( Dec. - Jan . - Feb. and Mar. - Apr. -May , 1988 ) are the warmest in
the entire record . The first five months of 1988 are so warm globally that we
conclude that 1988 will be the warmest year on record unless there is a
remarkable , improbable cooling in the remainder of the year .
2. Relationship of global warming and greenhouse effect
Causal association of current global warming with the greenhouse effect
requires determination that ( 1 ) the warming is larger than natural climate
variability , and ( 2 ) the magnitude and nature of the warming is consistent with
the greenhouse warming mechanism . Both of these issues are addressed
quantitatively in Fig . 3 , which compares recent observed global temperature
change with climate model simulations of temperature changes expected to result
from the greenhouse effect .
The present observed global warming is close to 0.4 ° C , relative to
' climatology ', which is defined as the thirty year ( 1951-1980 ) mean . A warming
of 0.4 ° C is three times larger than the standard deviation of annual mean
temperatures in the 30 -year climatology . The standard deviation of 0.13ºC is a
typical amount by which the global temperature fluctuates annually about its 30
year mean ; the probability of a chance warming of three standard deviations is
about 1% . Thus we can state with about 99 % confidence that current temperatures
represent a real warming trend rather than a chance fluctuation over the 30 year
period .
20
3
We have made computer simulations of the greenhouse effect for the period
since 1958 , when atmospheric CO2 began to be measured accurately . A range of
trace gas scenarios is considered so as to account for moderate uncertainties in
trace gas histories and larger uncertainties in future trace gas growth rates .
The nature of the numerical climate model used for these simulations is described
in attachment A ( reference 1 ) . There are major uncertainties in the model , which
arise especially from assumptions about ( 1 ) global climate sensitivity and ( 2 )
heat uptake and transport by the ocean , as discussed in attachment A. However ,
the magnitude of temperature changes computed with our climate model in various
test cases is generally consistent with a body of empirical evidence ( reference
2 ) and with sensitivities of other climate models ( reference 1 ) .
The global temperature change simulated by the model yields a warming over
the past 30 years similar in magnitude to the observed warming ( Fig . 3 ) . In both
the observations and model the warming is close to 0.4 ° C by 1987 , which is the
99 % confidence level .
It is important to compare the spatial distribution of observed temperature
changes with computer model simulations of the greenhouse effect , and also to
search for other global changes related to the greenhouse effect , for example ,
changes in ocean heat content and sea ice coverage . As yet , it is difficult to
obtain definitive conclusions from such comparisons , in part because the natural
variability of regional temperatures is much larger than that of global mean
temperature . However , the climate model simulations indicate that certain gross
characteristics of the greenhouse warming should begin to appear soon , for
example, somewhat greater warming at high latitudes than at low latitudes ,
greater warming over continents than over oceáns , ' and cooling in the stratosphere
while the troposphere warms . Indeed , observations contain evidence for all these
characteristics , but much more study and improved records are needed to establish
the significance of trends and to use the spatial information to understand
better the greenhouse effect . Analyses must account for the fact that there are
climate change mechanisms at work , besides the greenhouse effect ; other anthropo
genic effects , such as changes in surface albedo and tropospheric aerosols , are
likely to be especially important in the Northern Hemisphere .
We can also examine the greenhouse warming over the full period for which
global temperature change has been measured , which is approximately the past 100
years . On such a longer period the natural variability of global temperature is
larger ; the standard deviation of global temperature for the past century is
0.2 ° C . The observed warming over the past century is about 0.6-0.7 ° C . Simulated
greenhouse warming for the past century is in the range 0.5 ° -1.0 ° C , depending
upon various modeling assumptions ( e.g. , reference 2 ) . Thus , although there are
greater uncertainties about climate forcings in the past century than in the past
30 years , the observed and simulated greenhouse warmings are consistent on both
of these time scales .
Conclusion . Global warming has reached a level such that we can ascribe
with a high degree of confidence a cause and effect relationship between the
greenhouse effect and the observed warming . Certainly further study of this
issue must be made . The detection of a global greenhouse signal represents only
a first step in analysis of the phenomenon .
21
3 . Greenhouse impacts on summer heat waves
Global climate models are not yet sufficiently realistic to provide reliable
predictions of the impact of greenhouse warming on detailed regional climate
patterns . However , it is useful to make initial studies with state - of - the - art
climate models ; the results can be examined to see whether there are regional
climate change predictions which can be related to plausible physical mechanisms .
At the very least , such studies help focus the work needed to develop improved
climate models and to analyze observed climate change .
One predicted regional climate change which has emerged in such climate
model studies of the greenhouse effect is a tendency for mid - latitude continental
drying in the summer ( references 3,4,5 ) . Dr. Manabe will address this important
issue in his testimony today . Most of these studies have been for the case of
doubled atmospheric CO2 , a condition which may occur by the middle of next century .
Our studies during the past several years at the Goddard Institute for Space
Studies have focused on the expected transient climate change during the next few
decades , as described in the attachment to my testimony . Typical results from
our simulation for trace gas scenario B are illustrated in Fig . 4 , which shows
computed July temperature anomalies in several years between 1986 and 2029. In
the 1980's the global warming is small compared to the natural variability of
local monthly mean temperatures; thus the area with cool temperatures in a given
July is almost as great as the area with warm temperatures . However , within
about a decade the area with above normal temperatures becomes much larger than
the area with cooler temperatures .
The specific temperature patterns for any given month and year should not be
viewed as predictions for that specific time , because they depend upon unpre
dictable weather fluctuations . However , characteristics which tend to repeat
warrant further study , especially if they occur for different trace gas
scenarios . We find a tendency in our simulations of the late 1980's and the
1990's for greater than average warming in the Southeast and Midwest United
States , as illustrated in Attachment A and in Fig . 4 . These areas of high
temperature are usually accompanied by below normal precipitation .
Examination of the changes in sea level pressure and atmospheric winds in
the model suggests that the tendency for larger than normal warming in the
Midwest and Southeast is related to the ocean's response time ; the relatively
slow warming of surface waters in the mid -Atlantic off the Eastern United States
and in the Pacific off California tends to increase sea level pressure in those
ocean regions and this in turn tends to cause more southerly winds in the eastern
United States and more northerly winds in the western United States . However ,
the tendency is too small to be apparent every year ; in some years in the 1990's
the eastern United States is cooler than climatology ( the control run mean) .
Conclusion It is not possible to blame a specific heatwave /drought on the
greenhouse effect . However , there is evidence that the greenhouse effect
increases the likelihood of such events ; our climate model simulations for the
late 1980's and the 1990's indicate a tendency for an increase of heatwave/
drought situations in the Southeast and Midwest United States . We note that the
correlations between climate models and observed temperatures are often very poor
at subcontinental scales , particularly during Northern Hemisphere summer
( reference 7 ) . Thus improved understanding of these phenomena depends upon the
22
development of increasingly realistic global climate models and upon the
availability of global observations needed to verify and improve the models .
REFERENCES
1 . Hansen J. , I. Fung, A. Lacis , D. Rind , G. Russell , S. Lebedeff , R. Ruedy and
P. Stone , 1988 , Global climate changes as forecast by the GISS 3 - D model ,
J. Geophys . Res . ( in press ) .
Hansen , J. , A. Lacis , D. Rind , G. Russell , P. Stone , I. Fung , R. Ruedy and
J. Lerner , 1984 , Climate sensitivity : analysis of feedback mechanisms ,
Geophys . Mono . , 29 , 130-163 .
3. Manabe , S. , R. T. Wetherald and R. J. Stauffer , 1981 , Summer dryness due to
an increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration , Climate Change , 3 , 347-386 .
4 . Manabe , S. and R. T. Wetherald , 1986 , Reduction in summer soil wetness in
duced by an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide , Science , 232 , 626-628 .
5. Manabe , S. and R. T. Wetherald , 1987 , Large - scale changes of soil wetness
induced by an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide , J. Atmos . Sci . , 44 ,
1211-1235 .
6. Hansen , J. and s . Lebedeff, 1987 , Global trends of measured surface air
temperature, J. Geophy's . Res. , 92 , 13,345-13,372 ; Hansen , J. and s .
Lebedeff , 1988 , Global surface air temperatures : update through 1987 ,
Geophys . Res . Lett . , 15 , 323-326 .
Grotch , s . , 1988 , Regional intercomparisons of general circulation model
predictions and historical climate data , Dept. of Energy Report ,
DOE /NBA - 0084 .
23
GLOBAL TEMPERATURE TREND0.6
(5 months)Annual Mean
5 Year Running Meono
0.2
........
O
AT
(°C)
m
n-0.2
-0.4 %
tw
I Error Estimates (95% Confidence)
-0.6
-0.8
1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 1990
DATE
Fig . 1. Global surface air temperature change for the past century , with the
zero point defined as the 1951-1980 nean . Uncertainty bars ( 95$ confidence
limits) are based on an error analysis as described in reference 6 ; inner bars
refer to the 5 -year nean and outer bars to the annual mean . The analyzed un
certainty is a result of incomplete spatial coverage by measurement stations,
primarily in ocean areas . The 1988 point compares the January -May 1988 tempera
ture to the nean for the same 5 months in 1951-1980 .
Global Temperature Change
0.6
0.4
....
::::::::**0.3
0.2 nos
----
AT
(°C) ........
....... fronter
:
O
***.........
ind
Looms
::.........
-0.2
Limit
:11111
-0.4
1958 1965 1980 1985 19881970 1975
Date
Fig . 2. Global surface air temperature change at seasonal resolution for the
past 30 years . Figures 1 and 2 are updates of results in reference 6 .
24
1.5 Annual Mean Global Temperature Change
Estimated Temperatures During
Altithermal and Eemian Times
1.0
AT
(° C )
8
0.5
0%
.OBSERVED
SCENARIO A
SCENARIO B
SCENARIO C.
-0.4v
1960
V
1970
v
1980
v
1990
Date
V
2000 2010
V
2019
Fig . 3. Annual mean global surface air temperature computed for trace gas scenarios
A , B and C described in reference 1. ( Scenario A assumes continued growth rates of
trace gas emissions typical of the past 20 years, i.e. , about 1.58 yr emission
growth ; scenario B has emission rates approximately fixed at current rates ; scenario
c drastically reduces trace gas emissions between 1990 and 2000. ) Observed
temperatures are from reference 6. The shaded range is an estimate of global
temperature during the peak of the current and previous interglacial periods , about
6,000 and 120,000 years before present , respectively . The zero point for
observations is the 1951-1980 mean (reference 6 ) ; the zero point for the model is
the control run mean .
!
25
SCENARIO
B
JULY
1986
ME
AN
AT
:+0.6
°CME
ANAT
:+0.2
°C90
JULY
2000
60
30
0 -30 -60
-90
MEAN
AT
:+0.3
°C90
JULY
1987
ME
ANAT
:+1.0
°CJULY
2015
Z조
60
30 30
-90
MEAN
AT
:+0.5
°C90
JULY
1990
MEAN
AT
:+ 1.5
°CJULY
2029
30 -30
-60
.90 -180
-120
-60
60
120
180
-100
-120
-60
O60
120
180
ATI
°c)
-2
2
Fig
.4.Simulated
July
surface
air
temperature
anomalies
for
six
individual
years
of
scenario
B,
compared
toa100
year
control
run
with
1958
atmospheric
composition
(see
Attachment
A).
26
ATTACHMENT A
Global Climate Changes as Forecast by Goddard Institute for Space Studies
Three -Dimensional Model
J. HANSEN, I. FUNG, A. LACIS, D. RIND, S. LEBEDEFF, R. RUEDY, AND G. RUSSELL
NASA Goddard Space Flighe Cenier, Goddard Institutefor Space Studies, New York
P. STONE
Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology, Cambridge
We use a three -dimensional climate model, the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) model II
with 8 by 10 horizontal resolution , to simulatethe global climate effectsof time-dependent variations
of atmospheric trace gases and aerosols. Horizontal heat transport by the ocean is fixed at valuesestimated for today's climate, and the uptake of heat perturbations by the ocean bencath the mixed
layer is approximated as vertical diffusion. We make a 100-year control run and perform experiments
for three scenarios of atmospheric composition. These experiments begin in 1988 and include measured
or estimated changes in atmospheric Co., CH , N , O , chlorofluorocarbons ( CFCs) and stratospheric
aerosols for the period from 1958 to the present. Scenario A assumes continued exponential trace gas
growth, scenario B assumes a reduced linear growth of trace gases, and scenario C assumes a rapid
cunailment of trace gas emissions such that the net climate forcing ceases to increase after the year
2000. Principal results from the experiments are as follows: (1) Global warming to the level attained at
the peak of the current interglacial and the previous interglacial occurs in all three scenarios; however,
there are dramatic differences in the levels of future warming, depending on trace gas growth. (2 ) The
greenhouse warmingshould be clearly identifiable in the 1990s; the global warming within the nextseveral years is predicted to reach and maintain a level at least three standard deviations above the
climatology of the 1950s. (3 ) Regions where an unambiguous warming appears earliest are low - latitude
oceans, China and interior areas in Asia, and ocean areas near Antarctica and the north pole; aspects
of the spatial and temporal distribution of predicted warming are clearly model-dependent,implying the
possibility of model discrimination by the 1990s and thusimproved predictions, if appropriate
observations are acquired. ( 4 ) The temperature changes are sufficiently large to have major impacts on
people and other parts of the biosphere, as shown by computed changes in the frequency of extreme
events and by comparison with previous climate trends. (5 )The model results suggest some near - term
regional climate variations, despite the fixed ocean heat transpon which suppresses many possible
regional climate fluctuations, for example, during the late 1980s and in the 1990s there is a tendencyfor greater than average warming in the southeastem and central United States and relatively cooler
conditions or less than average warming in the westem United States and much of Europe. Principal
uncertainties in the predictions involve the equilibrium sensitivity of the model to climate forcing, the
assumptions regarding heat uptake and transport by the ocean , and the omission of other less -cenain
climate forcings.
To appear in the Journal of Geophysical Research .
27
1. INTRODUCTION
Studies of the climate impact of increasing atmospheric 5.2 examines the spatial distribution of predicted decadalCo , have been made by means of experiments with three temperature changes, and seation 53 examines short -term
dimensional (3D ) climate models in which the amount of Co , and local temperature changes. In section 6, we summarizewas instantaneously doubled or quadrupled, with the model the model predictions and discuss the principal caveats and
then integrated forward in time to a new steady state assumptions upon which the results depend.
(Manabe and Wetherald, 1975; Manabe and Stouffer, 1980; Our transient climate experiments were initiated in early
Hansen et al., 1984 ; Washington and Meehl, 1984; Wilson and 1983, being run as a background job on the GISS mainframeMitchell, 1987). These models all yield a large climate computer, a general-purpose machine (Amdahl V - 6 ) of mid
impact at equilibrium for doubled CO2, with global mean 1970s vintage. Results for scenario A were reported at a
warming of surface air between about 20 and 5 ° C . conference in June 1984 (Shands and Hoffman, 1987), and
However, observations show that CO , is increasing grad results from all scenarios were presented at several later
ually: its abundance was 315 parts per million by volume conferences.
(ppmv) in 1958 when Keeling initiated accurate measurements
and is now about 345 ppmy, with current mean annual 2. CLIMATE MODEL
increments of about 1.5 ppmv (Keeling et al ., 1982). Also The atmospheric component of the global climate model
there are at least two other known global radiative forcingswe employ is described and its abilities and limitations for
of comparable magnitude: growth of several other trace simulating today's climate are documented as model II
gases (Wang et al., 1976; Lacis et al., 1981; Ramanathan et(Hansen a al. ( 1983 ), hereafter referred to as paper 1) .
al ., 1985] and variations in stratospheric aerosols due to The model solves the simultaneous equations for conserva.volcanic eruptions (Lamb, 1970; Mitchell, 1970 ; Schneider and tion of energy, momentum , mass, and water vapor and theMoss, 1975; Pollack at al., 1976; Hansen et al., 1978, 1980; equation ofstate on a coarse grid with nine atmospheric
Robock, 1981). Still other radiative forcings, such as changes layers and horizontal resolution 8º latitude by 10° longitude.
of solar irradiance, tropospheric aerosols, and land surface The radiation calculation includes the radiatively significant
properties, may also be significant, but quantitative informa atmospheric gases, aerosols, and cloud panicles. Cloudtion is insufficient to define the trends of these forcings cover and height are computed, but cloud opacity is
over the past several decades.specified as a function of cloud type, altitude, and thick
In this paper we study the response of a 3D global ness. The diurnal and seasonal cycles are included. The
climate model to realistic rates of change of radiative ground hydrology and surface albedo depend upon the local
forcing mechanisms. The transient response of the climate vegetation. Snow depth is computed, and snow albedo
system on decadal time scales depends crucially on the includes effects of snow age and masking by vegetation.
response of the ocean, for which adequate understanding The equilibrium sensitivity of this model for doubled CO2
and dynamical models are not available. Our procedure is to (315 ppmv - 630 ppmu) is 4.2° C for global mean surface air
use simple assumptions about ocean heat transport. Specifi- temperature (Hansen etal. (1984), hereafter referred to as
cally we assume that during the next few decades the rate paper 2 ). This is within, but near the upper end of, theand pattern of horizontal ocean heat transport will remain range 30 1.5 ° C estimated for climate sensitivity by
unchanged and the rate of heat uptake by the ocean National Academy of Sciences committees (Chamey, 1979 ;beneath the mixed layer can be approximated by diffusive Smagorinsky, 1982 ), where their range is a subjeative
mixing of heat perturbations. This "surprise -free" represen- estimate of the uncertainty based on climate-modeling
tation of the ocean provides a first estimate of the global studies and empirical evidence for climate sensitivity. The
transient climate response which can be compared both to sensitivity of our model is near the middle of the range
observations and to future simulations developed with aobtained in recent studies with general circulation models
dynamically interactive ocean . We include in this paper a . (GCMs) (Washington and Mechl, 1984; paper 2,1984; Manabe
description of the experiments and an analysis of computed andWetherald,1987; Wilson and Mitchell, 1987).
temperature changes; other computed quantities, such as Ocean temperature and ice cover were specified climatolchanges in the atmospheric generalcirculation, precipitation, ogically in the versionof model II documented in paper 1 .
and sea ice cover will be presented elsewhere.In the experiments described here and in paper 2, ocean
The climate model employed in our studies is described intemperature and ice cover are computed based on energy
section2. Results of a 100-year control run of this model, exchange with the atmosphere, ocean heat transport, and
with the atmospheric composition foxed, are briefly described the ocean's heat capacity. The treatments of ocean
in section 3. Three scenarios for atmospheric trace gases temperature and ice cover are nearly the same here as in
and stratospheric aerosols are defined in section 4. Results · paper 2, with the following exception. In paper 2, since the
of the climate model simulations for these three scenariosobjective was to study equilibrium (1 • • ) climate changes,
are presented in section 5: section 5.1 examines the computer time was saved by specifying the maximum mixed
predicted global warming and the issue of when the global layer depth as 65 m and by allowing no exchange of heat
warming should exceed natural climate variability, sectionbetween the mixed layer and the deeper ocean . In this
2
28
paper, since we are concerned with the transient climate forcing, one which must be compared with results from
response, we include the entire mixed layer with seasonally dynamically interactive ocean models when such models are
varying depth specified from observations, as described in applied to this problem .
Appendix A , and ( except in the control - run ) we allow
diffusive vertical heat transport beneath the level defined 3. A 100 YEAR CONTROL RUN
by the annual maximum mixed layer depth. The global meanA 100- year control run of the model was carried out with
depth of this level is about 125 m and the effective global the atmospheric composition fixed at estimated 1958 values.diffusion coefficient beneath it is about 1 cm s ?.
Specifically, atmospheric gases which are time-dependent inThehorizontal transport of heat in the ocean isspecified later experiments are set at the values 315 ppmv for CO2,
fromestimates for today's ocean, varying seasonallyat each 1400 partsperbillion byvolume (ppby) for CH ,, 292.6ppbv
gridpoint,as describedin AppendixA. In our experiments for N2O, 15.8 parts per trillion bý volume (pptv) for
with changing atmospheric composition,wekeepthe ocean CCIFF-11),and 50.3 pptv for CCLF ,(F-12).
horizontal heat transport and the mixed layer depth )The ocean mixed layer depth varies geographically and
identical to that in the control run, i.e., no feedback of seasonally, based on climatological data specified in
climate change on occan heat transport is permitted in these Appendix A. No heat exchange across the level defined by
experiments. Our rationale for this approach as a first step the annual maximum mixed layer depth was permitted in the
is that it permits a realistic atmospheric simulation and control run described in this section. Thepurpose of this
simplifies analysis of the experiments. Initial experiments constraint was to keep the response time of the model short
with an idealized interactive atmosphere /ocean model suggest enough that it was practical to extend the model integration
that the assumption of no feedback maybea good first over severaltimeconstants, thus assuring near-equilibrium
approximation for small climate perturbations in thedirection of a warmerclimate(Bryanet al., 1984; Manabe conditions. The isolatedmixed layer responsetime is 10-20
and Bryan, 1985). In addition, experiments with azonal yearsfor a climatesensitivity of4 ° C for doubled CO2, as
shown in paper 2. Note that the seasonal thermocline (i.e.,average heat balance model suggest that the globalaverage the water between the base of the seasonal mixed layer and
climate sensitivity does not depend strongly on the feed the annualmaximum mixed layer depth ) can have a different
back in the ocean heat transport (Wang et al., 1984). temperature each year; this heat storage and release can
However, we stress that this" surprise-free" representation affectthe interannualvariability of surfacetemperature.
of the ocean excludes the effects of natural variability ofThe variation of the global-mean annual-mean surface air
ocean transports and the possibility of switches in the basic temperature during the 100-year control run is shownin
mode ofocean circulation. Broecker a al. [ 1985], for Figure 1. The global mean temperature at the endof the
example, have suggested that sudden changes intherate runis very similar to thatat the beginning, but there is
of deepwater formation may be associated with oscillations substantial unforced variability on all time scales that can
of the climate system . Discussions of the transient ocean be examined, that is, up to decadal time scales. Note that
response have been given by Schneider and Thompson an unforced change in global temperature of about 0.4° C
( 1981), Bryan et al. (1984 ), and others. We consider oursimple treatment of the ocean to beonlya first step in (0.3°C, if the curveis smoothed witha S-year running
studying the climate response to a slowly changing climate mean) Occurred in one 20- year period ( years 50-70 ). The
0.5
0.4 Global - Mean Annual - Mean Surface Air Temperature
100 year control run
0.3
0.2
ATS
(°C) 0.1
timun
.
-0.1
Moreww
-0.25
0.35 10 20 30 70 80 90 10040 50 60
Time ( years)
Fig 1. Global-mean annual-mean surface air temperature trend in the 100-year control run.
3
29
standard deviation about the 100 -year mean is 0.11 ° C . This indication of how the predicted climate trend depends upon
unforced variability of global temperature in the model is trace gas growth rates . Scenario A assumes that growth
only slightly smaller than the observed variability of global rates of trace gas emissions typical of the 1970s and 1980s
surface air temperature in the past century, as discussed in will continue indefinitely, the assumed annual growth
section 5. The conclusion that unforced ( and unpredictable) averages about 1.5 % of current emissions, so the net
climate variability may account for a large portion of greenhouse forcing increases exponentially. Scenario B has
climate change has been stressed by many researchers; for decreasing trace gas growth rates, such that the annual
example, Lorenz ( 1968), Hasselmann ( 1976] and Robock increase of the greenhouse climate forcing remains approxi
(1978 ). mately constant at the present level. Scenario C drastically
The spatial distribution of the interannual variability of reduces trace gas growth between 1990 and 2000 such that
temperature in the model is compared with observational the greenhouse climate forcing ceases to increase after 2000 .
data in Plate 1. The geographical distribution of surface air The range of climate forcings covered by the three
temperature variability is shown in Plate la for the model scenarios is further increased by the fact that scenario A
and Plate 16 for observations. The standard deviation includes the effect of several hypothetical or crudely
ranges from about 0.25 ° C at low latitudes to more than 1 ° C estimated trace gas trends ( ozone, stratospheric water vapor,
at high latitudes in both the model and observations. The and minor chlorine and fluorine compounds) which are not
model's variability tends to be larger than observed over included in scenarios B and C.
continents; this arises mainly from unrealistically large These scenarios are designed to yield sensitivity experi
model variability (by about a factor of 2) over the conti ments for a broad range of future greenhouse forcings.
nents in summer, as shown by the seasonal graphs of Scenario A, since it is exponential, must eventually be on
Hansen and Lebedeff ( 1987). The interannual variability of the high side of reality in view of finite resource con
the zonal mean surface air temperature, as a function of straints and environmental concerns ,' even though the
latitude and month , is shown in Plate lc and ld for the growth of emissions in scenario A (-1.5% yr- ) is less than
model and observations. The seasonal distribution of the rate typical of the past century ( +4 % yr l). Scenario C
variability in the model is generally realistic, except that is a more drastic curtailment of emissions than has generally
the summer minimum in the northern hemisphere occurs been imagined; it represents elimination of chlorofluoro
about 1 month early. The interannual variability of carbon (CFC ) emissions by 2000 and reduction of CO2 and
temperature as a function of height is more difficult to other trace gas emissions to a level such that the annual
check, because observations of sufficient accuracy are growth rates are zero (i.c., the sources just balance the
limited to radiosonde data. J. Angell (private communica- sinks) by the year 2000. Scenario B is perhaps the most
tion, 1987) has analyzed data from 63 radiosonde stations, plausible of the three cases.
averaged the temperature change zonally, and cabulated the The abundances of the trace gases in these three
data with a resolution of seven latitude bands and four scenarios are specified in detail in Appendix B. The net
heights, the lowest of these heights being the surface air; greenhouseforcing, ało, for these scenarios is illustrated in
the interannual variability of the results is shown in Plate Figure 2; AT , is the computed temperature change at equili
1f. Reasons for smaller variability in the model, Plate le, brium (1 - ) for the given change in trace gas abundances,
probably include (1) identical ocean heat transport every with no climate feedbacks included (paper 2) . Scenario A
year, which inhibits occurrence of phenomena such as El reaches a climate forcing equivalent to doubled co , in
Niño and the associated variability of upper air temperature, about 2030, scenario B reaches that level in about 2060,and
and ( 2) stratospheric drag in the upper model layer of the scenario C never approaches that level. Note that our
nine-layer model II, which reduces variability in the strato scenario A goes approximately through the middle of the
sphere and upper troposphere, as shown by experiments with range of likely climate forcing estimated for the year 2030
a 23 - layer version of the model which has its top at 85 km by Ramanathan et al. ( 1985), and scenario B is near the
[Rind et al., 1988 ). lower limit of their estimated range. Note also that the
We use these interannual variabilities in section 5 to help forcing in scenario A exceeds that for scenarios B and C
estimate the significance of predicted climate trends and to for the period from 1958 to the present, even though the
study where it should be most profitable to search for early forcing in that period is nominally based on observations;
evidence of greenhouse climate effects. We defer further this is because scenario A includes a forcing for some
discussion of model variability and observed variability to speculative trace gas changes in addition to the measured
that section . ones ( see Appendix B).
Our climate model computes explicitly the radiative4. RADIATIVE FORCING IN SCENARIOS A , B AND C forcing due to each of the above trace gases, using the
4.1 . Trace Gases correlated k - distribution method (paper 1 ). However, we
We define three trace gas scenarios to provide an anticipate that the climate response to a given global
96-150 O - 89 - 2
30
AT
.(°C)
radiative forcing at. is similar to first order for different about trace gas trends. The forcing for any other scenario
gases, as supported by calculations for different climate of atmospheric trace gases can be compared to these three
forcings in paper 2. Therefore results obtained for our cases by computing 07.0) with formulas provided in
three scenarios provide an indication of the expected Appendix B.
climate response for a very broad range of assumptions
4.2. Stratospheric Aerosols
1.5 Stratospheric aerosols provide a second variable climate
forcing in our experiments. This forcing is identical in allCO2 forcing three experiments for the period 1958-1985, during which
1.0 time there were two substantial volcanic eruptions, Agung inScenario
А 1963 and El Chichón in 1982. In scenarios B and C,
B additional large volcanoes are inserted in the year 19950.5 : ( identical in properties to El Chichón ), in the year 2015
( identical to Agung), and in the year 2025 ( identical to El
Chichón ), while in scenario A no additional volcanic aerosols
are included after those from El Chichón have decayed to
the background stratospheric aerosol level. The strato
spheric aerosols in scenario A are thus an extreme case,2.0F
CO2 + troce gasesamounting to an assumption that the next few decades will
be similar to the few decades before 1963, which were free
of any volcanic eruptions creating large stratospheric optical1.5
depths. Scenarios B and C in effect use the assumption
that the mean stratospheric aerosol optical depth during the
doubled CO2 next few decades will be comparable to that in the volcani1.OH
Ramanathan et al. (1985) cally active period 1958–1985.
The radiative forcing due to stratospheric aerosols
depends upon their physical properties and global distri0.5 bution . Sufficient observational data on stratospheric
opacities and aerosol properties are available to define the
stratospheric aerosol forcing reasonably well during the past
few decades, as described in Appendix B. We subjectively
estimate the uncertainty in the global mean forcing due to
CO2+ trace gases + oerosols stratospheric aerosols as about 25 % for the period from 19581.5
to the present. It should be possible eventually to improve
the estimated aerosol forcing for the 1980s, as discussed in
Appendix B.
1.0F The global radiative forcing due to aerosols and green
house gases is shown in the lower panel of Figure 2.
Stratospheric aerosols have a substantial effect on the netQ5
forcing for a few years after major cruptions, but within a
few decades the cumulative Coz/trace gas warming in
scenarios A and B is much greater than the aerosol cooling .
O
ATO
(°C)
oh5. TRANSIENT SIMULATIONS
-0.5 5.1. Global Mean Surface Air Temperature1960 1980 2000 2020 2040
The global mean surface air temperature computed forDate scenarios A , B , and C is shown in Figure 3 and compared
with observations, the latter based on analyses of HansenFig 2. Greenhouse forcing for trace gas scenarios A , B, andC andLebedeff( 1987) updated to include 1986 and 1987 data.as described in the text. AT . is the equilibrium greenhousewarming for noclimate feedbacks . The doubled co, levelof Figure 3ais the annual mean result and Figure 36 is the 5
forcing. 17.- 1.25° C,occurs when the co ,and tracegases added year running mean . In Figure 3a the temperature range
after 1958provide a forcing equivalent to doubling co , from 315 0.5-1.0 ° C above 1951-1980 climatology is noted as anPpm to 630 ppm . The co , plus trace gas forcing estimated by
Ramanathan et al. ( 1985 ) for the year 2030 is also illustrated.estimate of peak global temperatures in the current and
5
31
1.5 Annual Mean Global Temperature Change
Estimated Temperatures During
Altithermal and Eemian Times
1.0
N.
AT
(°C)
0.5
Pog
OBSERVED
SCENARIO A
SENARIO B
SCENARIO C ...
-0.4v
1960
v
1970
v
19801990 2000
V
2010
Date
2019
( a )
4
5- Year Running Meon
3
AT
(°C)
CBSERVED
SCENARIO A
SCENARIO B
SCENARIO C
1960 1980 2020 20402000
Date
2060
( b )
Fig. 3. Annual-meanglobal surface air temperature computed for scenarios A , B and C. Observational data is from
Hansen and Lebedeff (1987, 1988 ). The shaded range in Figure 32 is an estimate of global temperature duringthe
peak of the current andpreviousinterglacial periods, about 6,000 and 120,000years before preseni, respectively. The
zero point for observations is the 1951–1980 mean (Hansen and Lebedeff, 1987); the zero point for the model is the
control run mean . (a ) Annual mean global temperature change, 1958-2019; (b) Five-year running mean , 1960–2060.
32
previous interglacial periods, based on several climate The model predicts, however, thắt within the next several
indicators (National Academy of Sciences (NAS ), 1975); years the global temperature will reach and maintain a 30
despite uncertainties in reconstructing global temperatures level of global warming, which is obviously significant.
at those times, it is significant that recent interglacial Although this conclusion depends upon certain assumptions,
periods were not much warmer than today.
such as the climate sensitivity of the model and the absence
Interpretation of Figure 3 requires quantification of theof large volcanic eruptions in the next few years, as
magnitude of natural variability in both the model and discussed in Section 6, it is robust for a very broad range
observations and the uncertainty in the measurements. As of assumptions about CO , and trace gas trends, as illus
mentioned in the description of Figure 1, the standard trated in Figure 3 .deviation of the model's global mean temperature is 0.11 ° C Another conclusion is that global warming to the level
for the 100 -year control run, which does not include the attained at the peak of the current interglacial and the
thermocline. The model simulations for scenarios A , B, and previous interglacial appears to be inevitable; even with the
C include the thermocline heat capacity, which slightly drastic, and probably unrealistic, reductions of greenhouse
reduces the model's short-term variability; however, judging forcings in scenario C , a warming of 0.5 ° C is attained
from the results for scenario A , which has a smooth within the next 15 years. The eventual warming in this
variation of climate forcing, the model's standard deviation scenario would exceed 1 ° C , based on the forcing illustrated
remains about 0.1° C . The standard deviation about the 100 in Figure 2 and the feedback factor f = 3.4 for our GCM
year mean for the observed surface air temperature change (paper 2 ). The 1 ° C level of warming is exceeded during the
of the past century (which has a strong trend ) is 0.20° C ; next few decades in both scenarios A and B; in scenario A
it is 0.12 ° C after detrending (Hansen et al., 1981). The that level of warming is reached in less than 20 years and
0.12° C detrended variability of observed temperatures wasin scenario B it is reached within the next 25 years.
obtained as the average standard deviation about the ten
10-year means in the past century, if, instead , we compute5.2. Spatial Distribution ofDecadal Temperature Changes
the average standard deviation about the four 25-year 5.2.1. Geographical distribution . The geographical distri
means, this detrended variability is 0.13ºC . For the period bution of the predicted surface air temperature change for
1951-1980, which is commonly used as a reference period, the intermediate scenario B is illustrated in the left -hand
the standard deviation of annual temperature about the 30 column of Plate 2 for the 1980s, 1990s and 2010s. The
year mean is 0.13 ° C . It is not surprising that the vari- right-hand column is the ratio of this decadal temperature
ability of the observed global temperature exceeds the change to the interannual variability ( standard deviation) of
variability in the GCM control run, since the latter contains the local temperature in the 100-year control run (Plate la ).
no variable climate forcings such as changes of atmospheric Since the interannual variability of surface air temperature
composition or solar irradiance; also specification of ocean in the model is reasonably similar to the variability in the
heat transport reduces interannual variability due to such real world (Plate 1b), this ratio provides a practical measure
phenomena as El Niño /Southern Oscillation events. Finally, of when the predicted mean greenhouse warming is locally
we note that the lo error in the observations due to significant.
incomplete coverage of stations is about 0.05 ° C for the Averaged over the full decade of the 1980s, the model
period from 1958 to the present (Hansen and Lebedeff, shows a tendency toward warming, but in most regions the
1987), which does not contribute appreciably to the vari decadal-mean warming is less than the interannual vari
ability ( standard deviation) of the observed global tempera- ability of the annual mean . In the 1990s the decadal-mean
ture. We conclude that, on a time scale of a few decades warming is comparable to the interannual variability for
or less, a warming of about 0.4° C is required to be signi- many regions, and by the 2010s almost the entire globe has
ficant at the 30 level (99 % confidence level).very substantial warming, as much as several times the
There is no obviously significant warming trend in either interannual variability of the annual mean .the model or observations for the period 1958–1985. During The warming is generally greater over land than over the
the single year 1981, the observed temperature nearly ocean and is greater at highlatitudes than at low latitudes,
reached the 0.4 ° C level of warming, but in 1984 and 1985 being especially large in regions of sea ice. Regions where
the observed temperature was no greater than in 1958. the warming shows up most prominently in our model,
Early reports show that the observed temperature in 1987 relative to the interannual variability, are ( 1) low -latitude
again approached the 0.4 ° C level (Hansen and Lebedeft, ocean regions where the surface response time is small ( see
1988), principally as a result of high tropical temperatures Figure 15 of paper 2) because of a shallow ocean mixed
associated with an El Niño event which was present for the layer and small thermocline diffusion , specifically regions
full year. Analyses of the influence of previous El Niños on such as the Caribbean, the East Indies, the Bay of Bengal,
northern hemisphere upper air temperatures (Peixoto and and large parts of the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
Don, 1984) suggest that global temperature may decrease in near or just north of the equator, (2 ) China, where the
the next year or two .model's variability is twice as large as the observed
7
33
variability, ( compare with Plate 1) and the interior down . model's variability and observed variability (Plate 1 ) , Plate 3
wind portion of the Eurasian continent, especially the suggests that the best place to look for greenhouse warming
Kazakh - Tibet -Mongolia -Manchuria region, and ( 3) ocean in the surface air may be at middle and low latitudes in
areas near Antarctica and the north pole, where sea ice both hemispheres, with the signal-to -noise in summer being
provides a positive climate feedback. The regions predicted as great or greater than in winter.
to have earliest detectability of greenhouse warming are un 5.2.3. Latitude-height distribution . The dependence of
doubtedly model dependent to some extent; as discussed the predicted temperature changes on altitude is investigated
later, this model dependence, in conjunction with global in Plate 4, which shows the predicted upper air temperature
observations, may soon provide valuable information on change as a function of pressure and latitude (left-hand
climate mechanisms. side) and the ratio of this to the model's interannual
The predicted signal-to -noise ratio ( AT / o ) is generally variability (right-hand side ). Although the predicted green
smaller at any given geographical location than it is for the house warming in our climate model is greater in the upper
global mean (Figure 3), because the noise is significantly troposphere at low latitudes than it is at the surface, the
reduced in the global average. Thus for the single purpose signal-to - noise ratio does not have a strong height depenof detecting a greenhouse warming trend, the global mean dence in the troposphere. The dominant characteristic of
temperature provides the best signal. The geographical the predicted atmospheric temperature change is strato
distribution of the predicted global temperature change also spheric cooling with tropospheric warming. This characcan be used for " optimal weighting" of global data to teristic could be a useful diagnostic for the greenhouse
enhance early detection of a climate trend ( Bell, 1982), but effect, since, for example, a tropospheric warming due tothe impact of such weighting is modest and model increased solar irradiance should be accompanied by only adependent. slight stratospheric cooling ( compare with Figure 4 in paper
Our results suggest that the geographical patterns of 2) . However, the large signal-to -noise for the stratospheric
model predicted temperature change, in combination with cooling in Plate 4 is partly an artifact of the unrealistically
observations, should become valuable soon for discriminating small variability at stratospheric levels in our nine-layer
among alternative model results, thus providing information model; the model predictions there need to be studied
on key climate processes which in tur may help narrow the further with a model which has more appropriate vertical
rangefor predictions of future climate. For example, Plate 2 structure .
shows a strong warming trend in sea ice regions bordering 5.2.4. Comparisons with observations. Global maps of
the Antarctic continent; on the contrary, the ocean atmos observed surface air temperature for the first 7 years of the
phere model of S. Manabe and K. Bryan ( private communi. 1980's show measurable warming, compared to observations
cation, 1987) shows cooling in this region for the first few for 1951-1980 , especially in central Asia, northern North
decades after an instant doubling of atmospheric CO2. The America, the tropics, and near some sea ice regions (Hansen
contrary results probably arise from different heat trans et al ., 1987). There are general similarities between these
ports by the oceans in the GISS and Geophysical Fluid observed patterns of warming and the model results (Plate
Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) models. As a second example, 2 ); the magnitude of the warming is typically in the range
our model yields a strong warming trend at low latitudes as 0.5-1.00 defined in Plate 1. Perhaps a more quantitative
does the British Meteorological Office (BMO) model (Wilson statement could be made by using the observational and
and Mitchell, 1987), while the GFDL and National Center for model data in detection schemes which optimally weight
Atmospheric Research (NCAR ) models (Washington and different geographical regions (e.g., Bell, 1982; Bamet ,
Meehl, 1984] yield minimal warming at low latitudes. The 1986). The significance of such comparisons should increase
contrary results in this case may arise from the treatments after data are available for the lastfew years of the 1980s,
of moist convection, as the GISS and BMO models use which are particularly warm in the model. However,
penetrative convection schemes and the GFDL and NCAR information from the pattern of surface warming is limited
models use a moist adiabatic adjustment. Judging from 1 by the fact that similar patterns can result from different
Plate 2 the real world laboratory may provide empirical climate forcings (Manabe and Wetherald , 1975;paper 2 ).
evidence relating to such climate mechanisms by the 1990s. Comparisons of temperature changes as a function of
5.22. Latitude- season distribution . The dependence of height may be more diagnostic of the greenhouse effect, as
the prediaed temperature changes on season is investigated mentioned earlier . Analysis of radiosonde data for the
in Plate 3, which shows the predicted surface air tempera- period 1960–1985 by Angell (1986) suggests a global warming
ture change for scenario B as a function of latitude and of about 0.3 ° C in the 300 to 850-mbar region and a cooling
month (left-hand side) and the ratio of this to the of about 0.5 ° C in the 100 to 300 -mbar and 50 to 100-mbar
models interannual variability (right-hand side). Although regions over that 25- year period. Although the warming in
the largest aTs are at high latitudes and in the winter, the the lower troposphere and cooling in the stratosphere are
variability is also largest at high latitudes and in the consistent with our model results ( Plate 4), the upper
winter. Considering also the differences between the tropospheric (100-300 mbar) cooling is not. The temperature
8
34
changes are about 0.5-10, based on the natural variability in signal-to -noise ratio of greenhouse effects, it is important
the model and observations ( Plate 1). Note that our to also examine the model predictions for evidence of
illustrated model results are for the period 1980–1989. greenhouse effects on the frequency and global distribution
None of the climate models which have been applied to of short - term climate disturbances. Such studies will be
the greenhouse climate problem yield upper tropospheric needed to help answer practical questions, such as whether
- cooling as found in observations by Angell (1986 ). If this the greenhouse effect has a role in observed local and
characteristic of the observations persists over the next regional climate fluctuations.
several years, as the modeled temperature changes reach We illustrate here samples of model results at seasonal
higher levels of mathematical significance, it will suggest and monthly temporal resolutions, and we estimate the
either a common problem in the models or that we need to effect of the temperature changes on the frequency of
include additional climate forcing mechanisms in the extreme temperatures at specific locales. The object is not
analyses. Although the trend in the observations is not yet to make predictions for specific years and locations, but
clear, it is perhaps worthwhile to point out examples of rather to provide some indication of the magnitude of
mechanisms which could produce a discrepancy between practical impacts of the predicted temperature changes.
model and observations. 5.3.1. Summer and winter maps. We comparein Plate 5
Concerning possible common model problems, a prime the computed temperature changes in scenarios A, B, and C
a priori candidate would be the modeling of moist convec- for June- July -August and December -January -February of
tion, since it is a principal process determining the vertical the 1990s. In both seasons the warming is much greater in
temperature gradient. However,the treatment of convection scenario A than in scenarios B and C, as also illustrated
in the models (GFDL, GISS, NCAR and BMO) ranges from in Figure 3. The relative warmings are consistent with the
moist adiabatic adjustment to penetrating convection, and all global radiative forcings for the three scenarios shown in
of these models obtain strong upper tropospheric warming. Figure 2; the greaterforcing in scenario A arises partly
A more likely candidate among internal model deficiencies from greater trace gas abundances and partly from the
may be the cloud feedback . Although some of the models assumed absence of large volcanic eruptions.
include dynamical/radiative cloud feedback, they do not Features in the predicted warming common to all scenarios
include optical/radiative feedbacks. For example, it is include a tendency for the greatest warming to be in sea
possible that the opacity of (upper tropospheric) cirrus ice regions and land areas, as opposed to the open oceans.
clouds may increase in a warming climate; this would At high latitudes the warming is greater in winter than in
increase the greenhouse effect at the surface, while causing summer. We also notice a tendency for certain patterns in
a cooling in the upper troposphere. the warming, for example, greater than average warming in
A good candidate for changing the temperature profile the easternUnited States and less warming in the westem
among climate forcings is change of the vertical profile of United States. Examination of the changes in sea level
ozone, since some observations suggest decreasing ozone pressure and atmospheric winds suggests that this pattern in
amounts in the upper troposphere and stratosphere along the model may be related to the ocean's response time; the
with increases in the lower troposphere ( Bolle et al ., 1986 ). relatively slow warming of surface waters in the mid
Another candidate climate forcing is change of the atmos Atlantic off the Eastern United States and in the Pacific off
pheric aerosol distribution; as discussed in Appendix B , it California tends to increase sea level pressure in those
will be possible to specify changes of stratospheric aerosols ocean regions and this in tum tends to cause more
in the 1980s more accurately than we have attempted in this southerly winds in the eastern United States and more
paper, but little information is available on changes in northerly winds in the western United States. However, the
tropospheric aerosols. Still another candidate climate tendency is too small to be apparent every year; in some
forcing is solar variability, although changes of total solar years in the 1990s the eastern United States is cooler than
irradiance such as reported by Willson et al. ( 1986) would climatology (the control run mean ) and often the western
not yield opposite responses in the upper and lower United States is substantially warmer than climatology.
troposphere, changes in the spectral distribution of the solar Moreover, these regional patterns in the warming could be
irradiance may have a more complicated effect on tempera modified if there were major changes in ocean heat
ture profiles. transports.
These examples point out the need for observations of the 5.3.2 . July maps. We examine in Plate 6 the temperature
different climate forcing mechanisms and climate feedback changes in asingle month (July) for several different years
processes during coming years as the greenhouse effect of scenario B. In the 1980s the global warming is small
increases. Such observations are essential if we are to compared to the natural variability of local monthly mean
reliably interpret the causes of climate change and the temperature; thus any given location is about as likely to be
implications for further change. cooler than climatology as warmer than climatology, and, as
shown in Plate 6, the area with cool temperatures in a
53. Short- Term and Local Temperature Changesgiven July is about as great as the area with warm tempera
Although long-term large-area averages increase the tures. But by the year 2000 there is an obvious tendency
9
35
for it to be warm in more regions, and by the year 2029 it predicted warming for a given decade to observed local daily .
is warm almost everywhere. temperatures for the period 1950–1979. This procedure is
Monthly temperature anomalies can be readily noticed by intended to minimize the effect of errors in the control run
the average person or " man in the street". A calibration climatology, which are typically several degrees Centigrade.
of the magnitude of the model predicted warming can be The principal assumption in this procedure is that the shape
obtained by comparison of Plate 6 with maps of observations of the temperature distribution about the mean will not
for recent years, as published by Hansen et al. ( 1987) using change much as the greenhouse warming shifts the mean to
the same color scale as employed here. This comparison higher values. We tested this assumption, as shown in
shows that the warm events predicted to occur by the 2010s Figure 4 for the 10 grid boxes which approximately cover
and 2020s are much more severe than those of recent the United States, and found it to be good. The illustrated
experience, such as the July 1986 heat wave in the southern case is the most extreme in our scenarios, the decade of the
United States, judging from the area and magnitude of the 2050s of scenario A , for which the global mean warming is
hot regions. about 4 ° C . Note in particular that there is no evidence
5.3.3. Frequency of extreme events . Although the that the distribution toward high temperatures in the
greenhouse effect usually measured by the change of summer becomes compressed toward the mean as the mean
mean temperature, the frequency and severity of extreme increases; indeed, the small change in the distribution which
temperature events is probably of greater importance to the occurs is in the sense of greater variability, suggesting that
biosphere. Both plants and animals are affected by extreme our assumption of no change in the distribution will yield a
temperatures, and regions of habitability are thus often conservative estimate for the increase in the frequency of
defined by the range of local temperatures. hot events.
We estimate the effect of greenhouse warming on the We also examined the effect of the greenhouse warming
frequency of extreme temperatures by adding the model on the amplitude of the diurnal cycle of surface air
6
Maximum T
January
- Control Run
2050's , Scenario AMinimum T
January
Et10-20 -15 -10 -5 o 5
Tmer ( ° C ) - Tma. I* C )
15 20 -25 -20 -15 -10 -5 o 5
Tender (°C )-7min (° C )
15 20
( b )
5F Maximum T
July
Minimum T
July
-20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20-25 -20 -15 -10 -5 10 15 20
Tmes (° C )-Trail* C ) ( c ) Tom (° C )-Tomin ( C ) (d )
O 5
Fig. 4. Distribution of daily maximum and daily minimum temperatures in January and July for 10 grid boxes
(latitudes 31 ° to 47N , longitudes 75° to 125W ) approximately covering the United States. The solid line represents
years 92-100 of the control run and the dotted line is for years 2050-2059 of scenario A. The mean temperature at
cach grid box is subtracted out first, before computing the mean distribution for the 10 grid boxes.
10
36
Doys per year with t » 95°F (35° C ) Days per year with Tmin 2 75 °F (-24° C )60
Days per year with Is 32°F ( OⓇC )
Washington , D.C.
37
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Fig. S. Climatology and model -based estimatesoffuture frequency of extreme temperature inseveral cities, specifically. days with maximum temperature above 95 °F ( 35° C ), days with minimum temperature above 75° F ( 24 ° C ), and dayswithminimum temperature below 35 ° F ( ° C ). Climatology is for the 3 decades 1950–1979; the long and short bars ( and
the dotted and dashed horizontal lines) specify the interannual and interdecadal variability (standard deviation ), respecteively, for these 30 years of data . A , B and C represent trace gas scenarios A , B, and C. The vertical scale for dayswith Ts 32° F (0 ° C ) is a factor of 2 less than the scale for the other two quantities.
11
37
temperature. In our doubled CO2 experiment (paper 2) the We note, however, that if, say, a blue die face is used for adiurnal cycle over land areas decreased by 0.7° C , with cold summer, there is still one blue die face in both the
greatest changes at low latitudes; for grid boxes in the 1990s and the first decade of the next century. Thus thereUnited States the changes of diurnal amplitude ranged from remains a substantial likelihood of a cold season at any
a decrease of 0.8 ° C to an increase of 0.5 ° C . The changes given location for many years into the future.
of diurnal amplitude in the transient experiments varied We concluded earlier that the magnitude of global mean
from grid box to grid box, but did not exceed several tenths greenhouse warming should be sufficiently large for scien
of a degree centigrade. Thus for simplicity we neglected tiſic identification by the 1990s. We infer from the
this effea in our estimates of changes in the frequencies of computed change in the frequency of warm summers thatextreme temperatures. the man in the street is likely to be ready to accept thatThe estimated change in the mean number of days per scientific conclusion. We also conclude that if the world
year with temperature exceeding 95 ° F (35 ° C ), minimum follows a course between scenarios A and B, the temperatemperature exceeding 75 ° F ( * 24 ° C ), and minimum tempera ture changes within several decades will become large
ture below 32° F (0 ° C ) is shown in Figure 5 for several enough to have major effects on the quality of life for
cities. The scenario results were obtained by adding the mankind in many regions.
mean decadal warming ( relative to the last 9 years of the The computed temperature changes are sufficient to have
control run) of the four model grid points nearest each city a large impact on other parts of the biosphere. A warming
to the 1950–1979 observed temperatures. We employ a
broad -area 10-year mean change, so that the variability is Frequency of Hot Summers100
provided principally by the observed climatology.
The results in Figure 5 illustrate that the predicted 905( o ) Washington D.C.
changes in the frequency of extreme events in the 1990s80
generally are less than the observed interannual variability,
but the changes become very large within the next few70
decades. The large effects are not a result of unusual local 60
results in the model's computed AT. The computed warmings50 |
in the United States are typical of other land areas in the
model. For the case of doubled CO2, which we can compare 40
with other models, the warming we obtain in the United 30States (about 4.5 ° C , see paper 2) is intermediate between
20Fthe warmings in the GFDL (Manabe and Wetherald , 1987)
and NCAR (Washington and Meehl, 1984) models. 10F
Even small temperature changes of less than the100H
interannual variability can be noticeable to the man in
the street and can have significant impacts on the bio 90F ( b ) Omaha
sphere. As one measure of the detectability of local 80 !
greenhouse warming, we consider the frequency of warm70
summers. We arbitrarily define the 10 warmest summers
( June- July - August) in the period 1950–1979 as "hot," the 10 60
coolest as " cold ," and the middle 10 as "normal." The 50
impact of the model-computed warming on the frequency of40 ) Scenorio Ahot summers is illustrated in Figure 6 for the region of
Washington, D.C., based on the four grid boxes covering the 30 ........ Scenorio B
eastern part of the United States, and for the region of ---- Scenorio C20FOmaha, based on the four independent west -central grid
boxes. In both regions by the 1990s the chance of a hot
summer exceeds 50 % in all three scenarios, and it exceeds 0
70 % in scenario A. 1960's 1990's 2020's 2050's
With hot, normal and cold summers defined by 1950–1979 DECADE
observations as described earlier, the climatological proba Fig. 6. Estimate of the probability of the summer being "hot ",
bility of a hot summer could be represented by two faces shown for two locations for scenarios A , B, and C. A "hot"
( say painted red ) of a six - faced die. Judging from our summer is one in which the mean temperature exceeds a value
model, by the 1990s three or four of the six die faces willwhich was chosen such that one third of the summers were "hot" in
1950–1979 observations. The estimated probability for hot summersbe red. It seems to us that this is a sufficient " loading of in the 1990s is shown by the shaded region for the range of
the dice that it will be noticeable to the man in the street. scenarios .
PERCENT
PERCENT
10 .
12
38
of 0.5 °C per decade implies typically a poleward shift of within the next several years, and by the 1990s there should
isotherms by 50 to 75 km per decade. This is an order of be a noticeable increase in the local frequency of warm
magnitude faster than the major climate shifts in the events; ( 3) some regions where the warming should be
paleoclimate record , and faster than most plants and trees apparent earliest are low -latitude oceans, certain continental
are thought to be capable of naturally migrating (Davis, areas, and sea ice regions; the three - dimensional pattern of
1988 ). Managed crops will need to be adapted to more the predicted warming is model-dependent, implying that
extreme conditions in many locales. For example, following appropriate observations can provide discrimination among
the suggestion of S. Schneider (private communication, 1987) alternative model representations and thus lead to improved
we estimated the effect of greenhouse warming on the climate predictions; ( 4) the temperature changes are
likelihood of a run of 5 consecutive days with maximum sufficiently large to have major impacts on man and his
temperature above 95° F . Observations at Omaha, Nebraska environment, as shown by computed changes in the fre
for the 30-year period 1950–1979 show 3 years per decade quency of extreme events and by comparison with previous
with at least one such run of 95° F temperatures. With the climate trends; (5 ) some near -term regional climate varia
warming from our model this becomes 5 years per decade in tions are suggested; for example, there is a tendency in the
the 1990s in scenario A ( 4 years per decade in scenarios B model for greater than average warming in the southeastern
and C ), 7 years per decade in the 2020s in scenario A ( 6 and central United States and relatively cooler conditions or
years per decade in scenario B and4 years per decade in less than average warming in the western U.S. and much of
scenario C ), and 9 years per decade for doubled CO2. Such Europe in the late 1980s and in the 1990s.
temperature extremes are thought to be harmful to comIn this section we summarize the principal assumptions
productivity (Meams et al ., 1984); thus these results imply upon which these results depend. In the subsection 6.5 we
that the impact on crops can be very nonlinear with stress the need for global observations and the development
increasing mean temperature. Another example of nonlinear of more realistic models.
response by the biosphere to increasing temperature is
evidence that many coral populations expell their symbiotic 6.1 . Climate Sensitivity
algae when water temperature rises above about 30° C , whichThe climate model we employ has a global mean surface
leads to death of the coral if temperatures remain in thatair equilibrium sensitivity of 4.2 ° C for doubled CO2. Other
range, as evidenced by recent events in the tropicsrecent GCMs yield equilibrium sensitivities of 2.5-5.5°C,
[Roberts, 1987).and we have presented empirical evidence favoring the range
Negative impacts of greenhouse warming on the biosphere
areundoubtedly greatest in regionswherespeciesareclose Sciences (Chamey, 1979; Smagorinsky, 1982]recommended2.5 ° -5 ° C (paper 2 ). Reviews by the National Academy of
to maximum temperature tolerance limits. Such impacts may therange1.50-4.5°C, whilea more recent review by
be at leastpartially balanced by improved opportunities for Dickinson (1986) recommended 1.5-5.5° C.
productive life in other regions. Also the " fertilization "
effect on crops due to increasing atmospheric CO, (Lemon, decades or less are not very sensitive to the model's equilForecast temperature trends for time scales of a few
1983] and other greenhouse climate effects such as changes ibriumclimate sensitivity (Hansen et al., 1985). Therefore
inprecipitation Manabe and Wetherald, 1987) may have climate sensitivity would have to be much smaller than
impactsbesides that of the temperature change.Our 4.2°C, say 15-2°C,inorderto modify our conclusions sig
intention here is only to show that temperature changes nificantly. Althoughwe have argued (paper 2] that such a
themselvescan have a major impact on lifeand thatthese smallsensitivityisunlikely, it wouldbeusefulforthe sake
effects may begin to be felt soon . We emphasize that it is of comparison to haveGCM simulations analogous to the
the possibility of rapid climate changewhich isof most oneswe presented here, but withalowclimate sensitivity.
concern for the biosphere; there may not be sufficienttime Until such a study is completed, we can only state that the
formany biosystems to adapt to the rapid changes forecast observedglobal temperature trend is consistent with the
for scenarios A and B." high " climate sensitivity of the present model. However,
extraction of the potential empirical information on climate6. DISCUSSION
sensitivity will require observations to reduce other uncer
Our simulations of the global climate response to realistic tainties, as described below . The needed observations
time-dependent changes of atmospheric trace gases and include other climate forcings and key climate processes
aerosols yield the following results: (1) global warming such as the rate of heat storage in the ocean.within the next few decades at least to the maximum levels
achieved during the last few interglacial periods occurs for 6.2. Climate Forcings
all the trace gas scenarios which we consider, but theClimate forcing due to increasing atmospheric greenhouse
magnitude of further warming depends greatly on futuretrace gas growth rates; (2) the global greenhouse warming gases in the period from 1958 to the present is uncertain by
perhaps 20 % (Appendix B); the uncertainty about futureshould rise above the level of natural climate variability greenhouse forcing is considerably greater. Therefore our
13
39
procedure has been to consider a broad range of trace gas: fication, but available information on trends is not suffi
scenarios and to provide formulae (Appendix B) which allow ciently quantitative for inclusion in our global simulations.
calculation of where the climate forcing of any alternative It is desirable that calibrated long-term monitoring of
scenario fits within the range of forcings defined by our tropospheric aerosols and surface albedo be obtained in the
scenarios A , B, and C. future.
We emphasize that as yet greenhouse gas climate forcingdoes not necessarily dominate over other global climate 6.3 . Ocean Heat Storage and Transport
forcings. For example, measurements from the Nimbus 7 Our ocean model is based on the assumption that for the
satellite show that the solar irradiance decreased by about small climate forcings of the past few decades and the next
0.1% over the period 1979 to 1985 (Willson et al., 1986; few decades, horizontal transport of heat by the ocean will
Fröhlich , 1987). As shown by the formulae in Appendix B, not change significantly and uptake of heat perturbations by
this represents a negative climate forcing of the same order the ocean beneath the mixed layer will be at a rate similar
of magnitude as the positive forcing due to the increase of to that of passive tracers simulated as a diffusive process.
trace gases in the same period. The observed trend implies We believe that these assumptions give a global result which
the existence of significant solar irradiance variations on is as reliable as presently possible, given available know
decadal timescales, but it does not provide information over ledge and modeling abilities for the ocean ; in any case, this
a sufficient period for inclusion in our present simulations. approach providesa first result against which later results
The greenhouse gas forcing has increased more or less obtained with dynamically interactive oceans can be
monotonically, at least since 1958; thus the greenhouse gas compared.
climate forcing in the 1980s including the " unrealized " However, we stress that our ocean model yields relatively
warming (Hansen et al., 1985) due to gases added to the smooth surprise -free temperature trends. It excludes the
atmosphere before the 1980s probably exceeds the solar possibility of shifts in ocean circulation or in the rate of
irradiance forcing, unless there has been a consistent solar deepwater formation . There is evidence in paleoclimate
trend for 2 decades or more. If the solar irradiance records that such ocean fluctuations have occurred in the
continues to decrease at the rate of 1979–1985 it could past (Broecker et al., 1985 ), especially in the North Atlantic,
reduce the warming predicted for the 1990s; on the other where, for example, a reduction in the rate of deepwater
hand, if the decline of solar irradiance bottoms out in the formation could reduce the strength of the Gulf Stream and
late 1980's, as recent data suggest (Willson and Hudson , thus lead to a cooling in Europe. We caution that our
1988 ), and if the irradiance begins an extended upward ocean model assumptions exclude the possibility of such
trend, it is possible that the rate of warming in the next sudden shifts in regional or global climate.
decade could exceed that in our present scenarios. Continued We also stress the importance of measuring the rate of
monitoring of the solar irradiance is essential for inter- heat storage in the ocean. As discussed earlier and by
pretation of near -term climate change and early identifi- Hansen etal. ( 1985), on the time scale of a few decades
cation of greenhouse warming. there is not necessarily a great difference in the sur
Stratospheric aerosols also provide a significant global face temperature response for a low climate senitivity (say
climate forcing, as evidenced by the effects of Mt. Agung 1.50-2 ° C for doubled CO2) and a high climate sensitivity
( 1963) and El Chichón ( 1982) aerosols on our computed ( say 4 * -5 ° C for doubled CO2). However, the larger climate
global temperatures. Thus iſ a very large volcanic eruption sensitivity leads to a higher rate of heat storage in the
occurred in the next few years, it could significantly reduce ocean . Since theoretical derivations of climate sensitivity
the projected warming trend for several years. On the depend so sensitively on many possible climate feedbacks,
other hand, if there are no major volcanic eruptions in the such as cloud and aerosol optical properties (Somerville and
remainder of the 1980s or the 1990s, that would tend to Remer, 1984 ; Chartson et al., 1987), the best opportunity for
favor more rapid warming than obtained in scenarios B and major improvement in our understanding of climate sensi
C , which assumed an eruption in the mid - 1990s of the tivity is probably monitoring of internal ocean temperature.
magnitude of El Chichón. Interpretation of near -term Such measurements would be needed along several seaions
climate change will require monitoring of stratospheric crossing the major oceans: In principle, the measurementsacrosols, as well as solar irradiance . would only be needed at decadal intervals, but continuous
Other climate forcings, such as changes in tropospheric measurements are highly desirable to average out the effectaerosols or surface albedo, are also potentially significant of local fluctuations.
(Appendix B ); they probably are important on a regional ,
basis, and perhaps influence the temperature of the entire 6.4 . Initial Conditions
northern hemisphere. Examples of changing aerosolBecause of the long response time of the ocean surface
abundance include the arcic haze, long-range transport of temperature, the global surface temperature can be in
desert aerosols, and perhaps urban and rural aerosols of substantial disequilibrium with the climate forcing at any
anthropogenic origin. Significant surface albedo variations given time. By initiating our experiments in 1958 after a
may be associatedwith large-scale deforestation and deserti
14
1
1
40
long control run with 1958 atmospheric composition, we expected climate changes in the 1990s present at once a
implicitly assume that the ocean temperature was approxi great scientific opportunity, because they will provide a
mately in equilibrium with the initial atmospheric composi chance to discriminate among alternative model representation . Our results could be significantly modified by a tions, and a great scientific challenge, because of demands
different assumption. For example, if there were substantial that will be generated for improved climate assessment and
unrealized greenhouse warming in 1958 due to a steady prediction
increase of greenhouse forcing between the 1800s and 1958,
incorporation of that disequilibrium in our initial conditions
would have caused the global temperature to rise faster than APPENDIX A: OCEAN MODEL AND OCEAN DATA
it did in our experiments. We initiated our experiments in The seasonal transport of heat in our ocean model is
1958 principally because that is when accurate Co, measure specified by the convergence ( or divergence) of heat at eachments began. However, 1958 also appears to be a good
ocean grid point, determined from energy balance as thestarting point to minimize the possibility of a major dis difference between the time rate of change of heat storage
equilibrium between the initial ocean surface temperature and the heat flux at the air sea interface. The heat
and the atmospheric forcing. Global temperature peaked storage is calculated from the Robinson and Bauer (1981)about 1940 and was level or declined slightly in the 2 ocean surface temperatures, the northern hemisphere
decades between 1940 and 1958. Regardless of whether the horizontal ice extent of Walsh and Johnson ( 1979 ), the
1940 maximum was an unforced Nuctuation of temperature or southern hemisphere ice extent of Alexander and Mobley
due to a maximum of some climate forcing, one effect of ( 1974), and mixed layer depths compiled from Nationalthat warm period is to reduce and perhaps eliminate any Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) bathythermograph data
unrealized greenhouse warming in 1958 .(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA ),
It would be useful to also carry out simulations which 1974 ). The surface heat flux was saved from a 2 year run
begin in say the 1800s, thus reducing uncertainties due to of model II (paper 1) which used these monthly ocean
possible disequilibrium in the initial conditions. Thesesurface temperatures as boundary conditions. Figure 1 of
experiments would be particularly appropriate for extracting paper 2 shows this surface heat flux . The calculation ofempirical information on climate sensitivity from the
the ocean heat transport is described in more detail byobserved warming in the past century . Such experiments Russell et al. ( 1985), whose Figure 5 shows the geographical
were beyond the capability of our computer ( circa 1975 distribution of the mixed layer depths for February and
Amdahl). Moreover, because of greater uncertainties in August. The global area-weighted value of the annual
climate forcings before 1958, such experiments probably maximum mixed layer depth is 127 m.would not yield more reliable predictions of future climate
The gross characteristics of the ocean surface heat fluxtrends. and implied ocean heat transport appear to be realistic, with
heat gain and flux divergence at low latitudes and heat loss6.5. Summary and flux convergence at high latitudes. A comprehensive
Our model results suggest that global greenhouse warming comparison of the annual ocean heat transport by Miller et
will soon rise above the level of natural climate variability. al. ( 1983) shows that the longitudinally integrated transport
The single best place to search for the greenhouse effect in each ocean basin is consistent with available knowledge
appearsto be the global mean surface air temperature. If it of actual transports.
rises and remains for a few years above an appropriate In our 100-year control run there is no exchange of heat
significance level, which we have argued is about 0.4 ° C for at the base of the mixed layer. In the experiments with
99 % confidence ( 30), it will constitute convincing evidence varying atmospheric composition, we mimic, as a diffusion
of a cause and effect relationship, i.e., a "smoking gun," in process, the flux of temperature anomalies from the mixed
aurrent vernacular. layer into the thermocline. The thermocline, taken to be
Confirmation of the global warming will enhance the the water below the annual macimum mixed layer, is
urgency of innumerable questions about the practical impacts structured with eight layers of geometrically increasing
of future climate change. Answers to these questions will thickness, with a total thickness of about 1000 m.
depend upon the details of the timing, the magnitude and An effective diffusion coefficient, k, is estimated below
the global distribution of the changes of many climate para the annual maximum mixed layer of each grid point using an
meters, information of a specificity which cannot presently empirical relation between the penetration of transient inenbe provided. Major improvements are needed in our under tracers and the local water column stability (paper 2 ), the
standing of the climate system and our ability to predict latter being obtained from the annual mean density distri
climate change. bution calculated from Levitus ( 1982). The resulting global
We conclude that there is an urgent need for global distribution of k is shown in Figure 15a of paper 2. There
measurements in order to improve knowledge of climate is alow exchange rate ( k * 0.2 cm’s 4) at lowlatitudes and
forcing mechanisms and climate feedback processes. The a high exchange rate in the North Atlantic and southem
15
41
1.5Rodiative Forcings
12
을
0706
0.5
0.3
07
SaleCO , CC izle( 315ppm cci,
630ppm ) 10.2PPDwach )
сн .( 1.6 ppo
12pont
N ,0(* 25 % )
.09 OS.01
Tropo. Siroto Strato .O , Myo
(0-12 km ) (25-50m) 125-50 lum )(-25 % )
Streto .120-25 m )MASO
(AT.0.1)
Tropo10-2 )
M ,SO( AT + 0.1 )
Trope . Trope.desert toolosals coronas
(ATQI) (Ar.2011
( + Qos )
Fig. B1. Global mean radiative forcing of the climate system for arbitrary changes of radiative parameters. Here AT .
is the temperature change at equilibrium ( - ) computed with a ID RC model for the specified change in radiative
forcing parameter with no climate feedbacks included ; at, must be multiplied by a feedback factorf to get the equilib
rium surface temperature change including feedback effecis (paper 2). Tropospheric acrosols are all placed in the lower
2 km of the atmosphere; the desen acrosols have effective radius Ferie - 2 um andsingle scattering albedo w =0.8 at
wavelength 1 = 550 nm , while the soot aerosols have leres 1 um and w = 05. The land albedo change of 0.05 is
implemented via a change of 0.01S in the surface albedo, corresponding to 30 % land cover.
oceans, where convective overturning occurs . Note that k of the order of 10% because of uncertainties in the absorp
is constant in time and in the vertical direction . tion coefficients and approximations in the ID calculations.
The ocean temperature and the ocean ice state in the
transient experimentsare computed based onenergybalance. coz:The specified converged ocean heat and the diffusion into
the thermocline are deposited into or removed from the AT . (x ) = f (x ) -* );
active mixed layer. The surface flux heats (or cools) thef(x ) = In (1 + 1.2x + 0.0052 + 1.4x10-6 ? );
open ocean and ocean ice in proportion to their exposed
areas. In addition, there is a vertical exchange ( conduction) Xo = 315 ppmv, xs 1000 ppmv
of heat between the ocean and the ice above it . CCl2Fz:When the surface fluxes would cool the mixed layer below
-1.6 ° C , the mixed layer stays at -1.6 ° C and ice with 1-m AT . (x) = 0.084( x - x . ); x-* , s 2 ppbv
thickness is formed, growing horizontally at a rate deter- CC13F :
mined by energy balance. When the surface fluxes would
warm the ocean above 0 ° C , the ocean stays at 0 ° C until allAT .( x) = 0.066 (x -x .); x - x , s 2 ppbv
ice in the grid box is melted horizontally. Conductive CHA:
cooling at the ice /water interface thickens the ice if the
ocean temperature is at -1.6°C. Leads are crudely repre AT . - g (x, y ) -864o,yo); * , * , s 5 ppmy
sented by requiring that the fraction of open water in a NO:
grid box not be less than 0.1 / Zice, where zice is the ice
thickness in meters (paper 1). AT . -8(* o, Y) -864o,yo); y,yo s5 ppmv
APPENDIX B: RADIATIVE FORCINGS
Radiative forcing of the climate system can be specified
by the global surface air temperature change AT . that would
be required to maintain energy balance with space if no
climate feedbacks occurred (paper 2 ). Radiative forcings for
a variety of changes of climate boundary conditions are
compared in Figure B1, based on calculations with a one
dimensional radiative - convective (RC ) model (Lacis et al.,
1981). The following formulae approximate the at , from
the iD RC model within about 1 % for the indicated ranges
of composition. The absolute accuracy of these forcings is
where, for CH , and N2O , X, Yo are reference amounts,respectively, and
8(x, y) = 0.394 0.66+ 0.16r exp( -1.6x)
1 + 0.16 % -0.62
109.8 + 3.5y+ 1.556 In 1 + y 0.77
100+ 0.14y2
- 0.014 In ( 1 + 0.636 (xy )0.75 + 0.007x (xy) 1-52 ];
- 1.556 1n [1+
16
1
42
Specifically, in scenario A Co , increases as observed by
Keeling for the interval 1958-1981 (Keeling et al., 1982)
and subsequently with 1.5 % yol growth of the annual
H2SO , aerosols ( 20 km ): increment. CCLF ( F-11) and CCLF, ( F -12) emissions are
AT .(1 ) = -5.81; + (1 = 550 nm ) s 0.2from reported rates (Chemical Manufacturers Association
(CMA) 1982) and assume 3% yrd increased emission in the
H2SO , aerosols (0-2km ): future, with atmospheric lifetimes for the gases of 75 and
AT (1) = -6.51; 9 (1 = 550 nm ) s 0.2150 years, respectively. CH , based on estimates given by
Lacis et al. (1981), increases from 1.4 ppbv in 1958 at a rate
Solar irradiance: of 0.6 % yr until 1970, 1% yrıl in the 1970s and 1.5% yr -1
AT . ( -) = 0.67x ; * = AS. ( % ) s 1%thereafter. N20 increases according to the semiempirical
formula of Weiss ( 1981), the rate being 0.1% yr in 1958, 0.2 %
Land albedo: yrl in 1980, 0.4% yrs in 2000, and 0.9 % yrl in 2030 .
AT . ( t) = -0.12 %, x- A albedo of land area s 0.1 Potential effects of several other trace gases ( such as Oz,
stratospheric H2O, and chlorine and fluorine compounds
Trace gas scenarios. Trace gas trends beginning in 1958 other thanCCLF and CCLF ) are approximated by multi
(when accurate measurements of Co , began )wereestimated plying the CCLFand CCLF amountsby2.
from measurement data available in early 1983, when we In scenarioB the growth of the annual increment of Co ,
initiated our transient simulations. References to the is reduced from 1.5 % yrd today to 1% yol in 1990,
measurements are given by Shands and Hoffman (1987). 0.5 % yrd in 2000, and 0 in 2010; thus after 2010 the annual
Figure B2 summarizes the estimated decadal increments to increment in co , is constant, 1.9 ppmv yr'? The annual
global greenhouse forcing. The forcings shown by dotted growth of CCIF andCCLF , emissions is reduced from 3%
lines in Figure B2 are speculative; their effect was included yr today to 2 % yıl in 1990, 1% yrs in 2000 and 0 in
in scenario A but was excluded in scenarios B and C. The 2010. The methane annual growth rate decreases from 1.5 %
CH , forcing in the 1980s represents a 1.5 % yra growth yra today to 1.0 % in 1990 and 0.5 % yrd in 2000. NGO
rate; recent data ( Bolle et al., 1986, Blake and Rowland, increases are based on the formula of Weiss (1981), but
1987) suggest that a 1.1% yr growth rate probably is more the parameter specifying annual growth in anthropogenicrealistic . emission decreases from 3.5 % today to 2.5 % in 1990,
0.10
DECADAL INCREMENTS OF GREENHOUSE FORCING
0.08
-
03
St He
0.06
-
F11
ATO
(°C)
CF Mugo CO2F12
F110.04
-
CO2CO2 : 87 str .
F12
Meno
CFCS 15.6
0.02 )12.8
CO2 8.2 NO pomF12
NOpom CHA
03 St,Hopm
CHApom
-MOCHA
1850 - 1960 1960's 1970's 1980's
(per decade)
DECADES
Fig. B2. Estimated decadal additions to global mean greenhouse forcing of the climate system . The value of AT . is
defined in the caption of Figure Bl. Forcings shown by dotted lines are highly speculative.
17
43
0.04
0.03
0.02Optical
Depth
QOI
-0.01ISSO 1969 1970 1975 1979
Dote
1.5% in 2000, and 0.5 % in 2010. No increases are included with 2 times greater a in the northern region than in the
for other chlorofluorocarbons, Og, stratospheric H20, or any Southern region. Beginning 10 months after the eruption, 1
other greenhouse gases. decayed exponentially with a 12 -month time constant.
In scenario C the CO2 growth is the same as in scenarios
A and B through 1985;between 1985 and 2000 the annual
co , incrementis foxed at 1.5 ppmv yr *?; after 2000, CO2 Aerosol Optical Depth of Mouno Loo
ceases to increase, its abundance remaining fixed at 368
ppmv. CCIF and CCLF, abundances are the same as in
scenarios A and B until1990; thereafter, CCIF and CCLF2
emissions decrease linearly to zero in 2000. CH , abundance
is the same as in scenarios A and B until 1980; between
1980 and 1990 its growth rate is 1% yr !; between 1990 and
2000 its growth rate is 0.5 % yr ?; after 2000, CH, ceases to
increase, its abundance remaining fixed at 1916 ppbv. As in
scenario B , no increases occur for the other chlorofluoro
carbons, Og, stratospheric H20 , or any other greenhouse
gases.
Scratospheric aerosol scenarios. The radiative forcing dueWh
to stratospheric aerosols depends principally upon their
optical thickness at visible wavelengths, their opacity in the Fig. B3. Aerosol optical depth measured at Mauna Loa (light
thermal infrared region, and their global distribution. curve )after subtraction of the mean value for 1958–1962. The
Because of the small size of long-lived stratospheric heavy line istheoptical depthat Mauna Loa,obtained from the3Daerosols, their effect on planetary albedo generally exceeds tracermodel, as discussedin the text. The arrows mark the timestheir effect on infrared transmission (Hansen et al., 1980 ). of eruption ofAgung, Awu, Femandina and Fuego, respectively .
Thus the most important acrosol radiative parameter is the
optical thickness at visible wavelengths, 1. We base the The optical properties of the stratospheric aerosols beforeestimated , before El Chichón primarily on solar trans- 1982 are based on measurements of Agung aerosols. The
mission measurements at Mauna Loa (Mendonca, 1979), size distribution we used is that given by Toon and Pollack
together with calculations with a 3D tracer model (Russell ( 1976 ), which is based on measurements by Mossop ( 1964 ); itand Lemer, 1981). has mean effective radius and variance (Hansen and Travis,
The measured optical depth at Mauna Loa, after subtrac- 1974) of regs * 0.2 im and ved * 0.6. These aerosols are
tion of the mean 1958-1962 value, which is assumed to assumed to be spheres of sulfuric acid solution (75 % acid by
represent the local background value, is shown as the light weight) with refractive index given by Palmer and Williams
line in Figure B3. An arbitrary amount of tracer substance ( 1975). We used size data for the Ei Chichón aerosolswas introduced in the stratosphere of the tracer model at based on measurements of Hoffman and Rosen (1983). Their
the time and location of the volcanic eruptions of Agung May 1982 data had rett • 1.4 um , veme * 0.4, while their
( 1963 ), Awu ( 1966 ), Fernandina ( 1968) and Fuego (1974 ). October 1982 data had rete * 0.5 um , vere * 0.15. We
The computed amount of tracer at Mauna Loa was then interpolated linearly between these two size distributions for
multiplied by the scale factor required such that the the 6 month period April 1982 to October 1982, and
computed transmission equaled the mean measured trans- thereafter used the small-particle ( October 1982) size
mission at Mauna Loa in the two years following the distribution . These various size distributions yield the same
cruption; the modeled aerosol opacity is illustrated by the cooling at the Earth's surface as a function of 2 (1 - 550
heavier line in Figure B3. The tracer model thus defined nm ) within a few percent, as computed with the ID RC
the global distribution of aerosol optical depth for the model, but the large particles cause a greater stratospheric
period 1958–1979 . heating. For example, the May 1982 distribution yields a
The aerosol optical depths for El Chichón, based on early warming of 5 °C at 23 km , the Oaober 1982 distribution
reports (M. P. McCormick, privatecommunication ), later yields 2 °C, and the Mossop (1964) aerosols yield 1.5 ° C .published by McCormick et al., ( 1984 ), were specified as An extensive measurement campaign was mounted after
follows. For the first 6 months after the eruption, the the El Chichón eruption in 1982, which will allow a more
opacity was uniformly distributed between the equator and precise calculation of the geographical and altitute distri
30°N , increasing linearly from 1=0 at the time of eruption bution of the radiative forcing than for any previous
to q = 0.25 3 months after the eruption and remaining volcano. We are working with J. Pollack and P. McCormickconstant for the next 3 months. Subsequently, the opacity to make use of the fulldata now available for a compre
was uniform from 90 ° to 30 °N and from 30° N to 90 °S, but hensive study of the climate impact in that period.
18
44
However, the scenarios in our present simulations were Hansen, J., and S. Lebedeff,Global trends of measured surface air
defined in early 1983 when only sketchy data on the El temperature, J. Geophys. Res.92, 13,345-13,372, 1987.
Chichón acrosols were available, so the uncertainty in theHansen, J., and S. Lebedeff, Global surface air temperatures: update
through 1987,Geophys. Res. Len ., 15, 323–326, 1988.aerosol forcing after El Chichón in our present simulations Hansen , J. E, and D. Travis , Light scattering in planetary
is comparable to that in the prior years. atmospheres,Space Sci. Rev., 16 , 527-610, 1974.
Hansen, J. E., W. C. Wang, and A. A. Lacis, Mount Agung eruption
provides test of a global climatic perturbation, Science, 199,
1065-1068, 1978 .
Hansen, J. E., A A. Lacis, P. Lec, and W.C. Wang, Climatic effects
of atmospheric aerosols, Ann . N. Y. Acad. Sci., 338, 575-587,
Acknowledgements. We thank Jim Angell,Alan Robock and Steve 1980 .
Schneider for comments on the first draft of this paper, Patrice Hansen, J., E. Johnson, A. Lacis, S. Lebedeff, P. Lee, D. Rind, and
Palmer and Jeff Jonas for helping produce the color ligures, Jose G. Russell, Climate impact of increasing atmospheric carbon
Mendoza for drafting other figures, and Carolyn Paurowski for dioxide, Science, 213, 957-966, 1981.
desktop typesetting. This work has been supported by the NASA Hansen , J., G. Russell,D. Rind, P. Stone, A Lacis, S. Lebedeff,
Climate Program and EPA grant R812962-01-0 . R Ruedy and L. Travis, Efficient three -dimensional global
models for climate studies: models I and II, Mon. Weather Rev.,
111, 609-662, 1983
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20
46
Plate 1. Interannual variability (standard deviation ) of temperature in the 100 year control run ( left side) and as
estimated from observations ( right side). (a ), (b ), (c ) and ( ) show the interannual variability of surface air tempera
ture, and ( e )and( ) show the interannual variability of the longitude-integrated upper air temperature. (6) and (d) are
based on 1951–1980 observations at meteorological stations analyzed by Hansen and Lebedeff ( 1987 ). V is based on
1958–1985 radiosonde data analyzed byAngell (1986 ). Regions without data are black.
Plate 2. Left side: decadal mean temperature change obtained for scenario B, relative to the control run , for the
decades 1980s, 1990s and 2010s. Right side: ratio of the computed temperature change to the interannual variability of
the annual mean temperature in the 100 year control run (Plate la).
Plate 3. Left side: decadal mean temperature change for scenario B as a function of latitude and season , for the
decades 1980s, 1990s and 2010s. Right side: ratio of the computed temperature change to the interannual variability of
the monthly mean temperature in the 100 year control run ( Plate 1c)
Plate 4. Left side: decadal mean temperature change for scenario B as a function of pressure and latitude, for the
decades 1980s, 1990s and 2010. Right side: ratio of the computed temperature change to the interannual variability of
the annual mean temperature in the 100 year control run (Plate le).
Plate S. Simulated June- July-August (left side) and December-January - February temperature anomalies in the 1990s,
compared to the 100 year control run with 1958 atmospheric composition .
Plate 6. Simulated July surface air temperature anomalies for six individual years of scenario B, compared to the 100
year control run with 1958 atmospheric composition.
1
47
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53
Mr. SHARP. Thank you very much, Dr. Hansen . Dr. MacCracken .
STATEMENT OF MICHAEL C. MacCRACKEN
Mr. MacCRACKEN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman . I've been invited
to come and provide some perspective on limitations and uncertain
ties in our understanding.This is not an easy topic becauseitgets
into discussing details and nuances of how things are done. I think
it's a very important one and it raises some very important issues
to be considering.
First, I'd like to say that I agree with the previous speakers and I
think there's a broad scientific consensus that the greenhouse
effect is real. It's not the only factor that's probably affecting the
climate, but it's probably the most important one. We are changing
atmospheric composition. This is going to cause the temperature to
rise, not by perhaps tenths ofa degree, but by degrees. It's going to
cause sea levels to rise and it's going to cause shifting of precipita
tion .
There are many things we don't know about this and there are
many reasons that uncertainties arise about how much the emis
sions will bein the future; how the atmospheric composition and
chemistry will change; how climate will change; how the environ
ment will respond and I'm just going to focus on the climate as
pects of that here.
The questions that come up are by how much the climate will
change ; where it will occur and when it will happen. I think the
uncertainty, the level of uncertainty that exists in this, is of the
order of a factor of 2, on many kinds of questions — how much the
warming might be in a hundred years in the midwestern United
States; or how much sea level might rise over the next hundred
years.
They are not factors of 10 uncertainty; they're factors of 2 uncer
tainty. But these can stillbe important andraise interesting policy
kinds of questions. First, I should say that this is a very, very diffi
cult question to work on. It's a little bit like predicting what's
goingto — the details of what would happen if you have a cigarette
with smoke rising and you have all the little eddies. The little
eddies that are occurring and waves and things that are happen
ing, are the weather that one would be experiencing; predicting
that into the future, is very, very hard . It's something that we can
try to do and we can try and figure out how wide thesmoke plume
might be and what the frequency of these eddies might be, to give
us a sense ofwhat's happening.
Basically , Jim Hansen has talked about his research . There are
four groups in the United States and several others abroad that are
studying this problem . The four U.S. groups in addition to the
group at the Goddard, are at the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Lab
oratory atPrinceton, at the National Center for Atmospheric Re
search in Boulder, and at Oregon State University.
Each of these groups has been working for more than a decade,
with what resources they have, to do thebest possible job that they
can. These models, still, however, have quite a number of shortcom
ings that are important to consider. What we have been doing at
Livermore on behalf of the Department of Energy, is looking at
.PUB
]ENERGY POLICY IMPLICATIONS OF GLOBAL
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2/3 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
RIVERSIDE1-229
UNIVERSITY OF CA. RIVERSIDE LIBRARY
MAY 1 5 1989
3 1210 01570 1905
LIBRARY
GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS DEPT.
U.S. DEPOSITORY
HEARINGS
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON
ENERGY AND POWER
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON
ENERGY AND COMMERCE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDREDTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
JULY 7 AND SEPTEMBER 22, 1988
Serial No. 100-229
Printed for the use of the Committee on Energy and Commerce
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON : 1989961505
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Congressional Sales Office
U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington , DC 20402
toe COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE
PHILIPRWA OD12.California »
1
j
JOHN D. DINGELL, Michigan, Chairman
JAMES H. SCHEUER , New York NORMAN F. LENT, New York
EDWARD R. MADIGAN , Illinois
CARLOS J. MOORHEAD, California
JAMESJ,FLORIO , New Jersey . ** MATTHEW J. RINALDO , New Jersey
EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts WILLIAM E. DANNEMEYER , California
THOMAS A. LUKEN , Ohio BOB WHITTAKER , Kansas
DOUG WALGREN , Pennsylvania THOMAS J. TAUKE, Iowa
AL SWIFT, Washington DON RITTER, Pennsylvania
MICKEY LELAND , Texas DAN COATS, Indiana
CARDISS COLLINS, Illinois THOMAS J. BLILEY, JR., Virginia
MIKE SYNAR , Oklahoma JACK FIELDS , Texas
W.J. " BILLY” TAUZIN , Louisiana MICHAEL G. OXLEY, Ohio
RON WYDEN , Oregon HOWARD C. NIELSON , Utah
RALPH M. HALL , Texas MICHAEL BILIRAKIS , Florida
DENNIS E. ECKART, Ohio DAN SCHAEFER , Colorado
WAYNE DOWDY, Mississippi JOE BARTON , Texas
BILL RICHARDSON , New Mexico SONNY CALLAHAN , Alabama
JIM SLATTERY, Kansas
GERRY SIKORSKI, Minnesota
JOHN BRYANT, Texas
JIM BATES, California
RICK BOUCHER , Virginia
JIM COOPER, Tennessee
TERRY L. BRUCE, Illinois
WM . MICHAEL KITZMILLER , Staff Director
MARGARET A. DURBIN , Minority Chief Counsel/Staff Director
SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND POWER
PHILIP R. SHARP , Indiana , Chairman
DOUG WALGREN , Pennsylvania CARLOS J. MOORHEAD , California
AL SWIFT, Washington WILLIAM E. DANNEMEYER , California
MIKE SYNAR , Oklahoma JACK FIELDS, Texas
W.J. " BILLY" TAUZIN , Louisiana MICHAEL G. OXLEY, Ohio
BILL RICHARDSON , New Mexico MICHAEL BILIRAKIS , Florida
JOHN BRYANT, Texas DAN SCHAEFER, Colorado
TERRY L. BRUCE, Illinois JOE BARTON , Texas
EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts SONNY CALLAHAN , Alabama
MICKEY LELAND , Texas NORMAN F. LENT, New York
RON WYDEN , Oregon ( Ex Officio )
RALPH M. HALL, Texas
WAYNE DOWDY, Mississippi
JOHN D. DINGELL, Michigan
(Ex Officio )
JOHN A. Riggs, Staff Director
JUDI GREENWALD, Counsel
TERESA A. GORMAN , Minority Staff Associate
( II )
CONTENTS
Page
1
83
4
Hearings held on:
July 7, 1988 ...
September 22, 1988 ..........
Statement of:
Firor, John W., Director, Advance Study Program , National Center for
Atmospheric Research ...........
Fisher, Linda, Assistant Administrator for Policy Planning, and Evalua
tion , Environmental Protection Agency .....
Fitzpatrick , Donna R., Undersecretary, Department of Energy
Gibbons, John H., Director, Office of Technology Assessment...
Hansen, James E. , Chief, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies ..........
MacCracken , Michael C. , Division Leader, Atmospheric and Geophysical
Sciences Division , Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Mintzer,Irving, senior associate, Energy, Climate, and Air Pollution Pro
gram , WorldResources Institute ...
Material submitted for the record by:
American Forestry Association , statement ........
Energy Department, " Public Papers of the Presidents"
165
85
191
15
53
108
262
217
( III )
..
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